Camino de Santiago Guide - Vía de la Plata

CaminoGuide.net

Walking Guide to the

VIA DE LA PLATA and the

CAMINO SANABRES

Gerald Kelly

2020 Edition

THE VIA DE LA PLATASevilla / Seville (map page 88)................................................................................123km / 5¾ hrs to Guillena........................................................................................318km / 4½ hrs to Castilblanco de los Arroyos.........................................................529km / 7¼ hrs to Almadén de la Plata.....................................................................714km / 3½ hrs to El Real de la Jara.........................................................................720km / 5 hrs to Monesterio......................................................................................921km / 5¼ hrs to Fuente de Cantos..........................................................................924km / 6 hrs to Zafra.............................................................................................115km / 1¼ hrs to Los Santos de Maimona...............................................................118km / 2 hrs to La Almazara....................................................................................137km / 1¾ hrs to Villafranca de los Barros.............................................................1327km / 6¾ hrs to Torremejía..................................................................................1315km / 3¾ hrs to Mérida (map page 89)................................................................1514km / 3½ hrs to El Carrascalejo..........................................................................153km / ¾ hr to Aljucén.............................................................................................1719km / 4¾ hrs to Alcuéscar....................................................................................1715km / 3¾ hrs to Aldea del Cano...........................................................................1711km / 2¾ hrs to Valdesalor..................................................................................1912km / 3 hrs to Cáceres (map page 90)..................................................................1911km / 2¾ hrs to Casar de Cáceres.......................................................................2122km / 5½ hrs to Embalse de Alcántara................................................................2310km / 2½ hrs to Cañaveral...................................................................................238km / 2 hrs to Grimaldo (turnoff for).....................................................................238km / 2 hrs to Ríolobos (turnoff for)......................................................................259km / 2¼ hrs to San Gil (turnoff for)......................................................................252km / ½ hr to Galisteo...........................................................................................2511km / 2¾ hrs to Carcaboso..................................................................................2739km / 9¾ hrs to Aldeanueva del Camino..............................................................2810km / 2½ hrs to Baños de Montemayor................................................................302km / ½ hr to Puente de Béjar...............................................................................3010km / 2½ hrs to Calzada de Béjar........................................................................329km / 2¼ hrs to Valverde de Valdelacasa..............................................................3212km / 3 hrs to Fuenterroble de Salvatierra..........................................................3228km / 7 hrs to San Pedro de Rozados...................................................................34Morille...................................................................................................................3419km / 4¾ hrs to Salamanca (map page 91)..........................................................3616km / 4 hrs to Calzada de Valdunciel...................................................................387km / 1¾ hrs to Huelmos.......................................................................................3813km / 3¼ hrs to El Cubo de Tierra del Vino.........................................................4013km / 3¼ hrs to Villanueva de Campeán..............................................................4018km / 4½ hrs to Zamora (map page 92)...............................................................4019km / 4¾ hrs to Montamarta................................................................................4213km / 3¼ hrs to Fontanillas de Castro.................................................................422km / ½ hr to Riego del Camino............................................................................427km / 1¾ hrs to Granja de Moreruela....................................................................44

TO ASTORGA 18km / 4½ hrs to Barcial del Barco.......................................................................448km / 2 hrs to Benaventa........................................................................................448km / 2 hrs to Villabrázaro....................................................................................45

14km / 3½ hrs to Alija del Infantado......................................................................4523km / 5¾ hrs to La Bañeza...................................................................................4525km / 6¼ hrs to Astorga.......................................................................................45

THE CAMINO SANABRES18km / 4½ hrs to Faramontanos de Tábara...........................................................487km / 1¾ hrs to Tábara..........................................................................................4814km / 3½ hrs to Villanueva de las Peras..............................................................48Santa Marta de Tera...............................................................................................4811km / 2¾ hrs to Calzadilla de Tera......................................................................492km / ½ hr to Olleros de Tera................................................................................498km / 2 hrs to Villar de Farfón..............................................................................496km / 1½ hrs to Rionegro del Puente.....................................................................499km / 2¼ hrs to Mombuey......................................................................................5117km / 4¼ hrs to Asturianos..................................................................................5114km / 3½ hrs to Puebla de Sanabria....................................................................5112km / 3 hrs to Requejo de Sanabria.....................................................................5317km / 4¼ hrs to Lubián........................................................................................5324km / 6 hrs to A Gudiña.......................................................................................5520km / 5 hrs to Campobecerros.............................................................................5714km / 3½ hrs to Laza............................................................................................5712km / 3 hrs to Alberguería...................................................................................577km / 1¾ hrs to Vilar de Barrio.............................................................................5714km / 3½ hrs to Xunqueira de Ambía...................................................................5923km / 5¾ hrs to Ourense / Orense (map page 93)................................................59Cea.........................................................................................................................639km / 2¼ hrs to Oseira...........................................................................................63Castro Dozón.........................................................................................................6318km / 4½ hrs to A Laxe / Bendoiro.......................................................................6510km / 2½ hrs to Silleda........................................................................................657km / 1¾ hrs to Bandeira.......................................................................................675km / 1¼ hrs to Leiras...........................................................................................678km / 2 hrs to Ponte Ulla.......................................................................................674km / 1 hr to Outeiro.............................................................................................678km / 2 hrs to A Susana.........................................................................................679km / 2¼ hrs to Santiago de Compostela...............................................................6922km / 5½ hrs to Negreira.....................................................................................798km / 2 hrs to A Pena (Finisterre).........................................................................804km / 1 hr to Vilaserío...........................................................................................808km / 2 hrs to Santa Mariña...................................................................................806km / 1½ hrs to Lago.............................................................................................805km / 1¼ hrs to Ponte Olveiroa.............................................................................812km / ½ hr to Olveiroa...........................................................................................813km / ¾ hr to O Logoso.........................................................................................823km / ¾ hr to Hospital...........................................................................................8212km / 3 hrs to Cee................................................................................................822km / ½ hr to Corcubión........................................................................................8214km / 3½ hrs to Finisterre / Fisterra....................................................................8216km / 4 hrs to Lires..............................................................................................84Muxía.....................................................................................................................86Dumbría.................................................................................................................87

The Vía de la PlataThe route followed by the Vía de la Plata was originally a Roman Road linkingAsturias in the north of Spain with the port of Cádiz in the south. Its name, whichmeans The Silver Route, is based on the belief that the Romans used this route totransport silver from Asturias to the Mediterranean port of Cádiz. However, giventhat the mines of Asturias mostly produced gold, some historians question thevalidity of this explanation.

Beginning in about the 9th century, as Santiago de Compostela was becomingknown as a Christian pilgrimage site, this route began to be used by pilgrimstravelling to and from the tomb of St James the Apostle.

In the 1980s the revival of the Camino Francés as a walking route led torenewed interested in the Vía de la Plata. Since then numbers of pilgrims haveincreased slowly reaching a peak of 14,197 in Holy Year 2010. Then 8,061 in2011, 8,163 in 2012, 9,016 in 2013, 8,491 in 2014, 9,221 in 2015, 9,067 in 2016,9,138 in 2017 and 9,127 in 2018 (these are figures for pilgrims arriving inSantiago). Despite what the statistics say the numbers of people walking the Víahas grown steadily in recent years. That we're not seeing this reflected in thestatistics seems to be because many people are only walking parts, for exampleSeville to Salamanca, or if they do arrive in Santiago are simply not bothering toget a Compostela because they already have several from previous Caminos.

In contrast to the Camino Francés which is busiest in summer, the busiest timeson the Vía de la Plata are spring and autumn.

Today the Vía de la Plata is a popular alternative to the Camino Francés forpeople looking for solitude and a more authentic Camino experience (with itsaccompanying difficulties).

About this guideThis guide covers the Vía de la Plata from Seville to Astorga, and the CaminoSanabrés, which branches from the Vía de la Plata and arrives in Santiago throughsouthern Galicia. People often use the term Vía de la Plata to refer to thecombination of these two routes. For simplicity I will refer to the combination ofthese two routes as the Vía. This guide also covers the Caminos de Finisterre andMuxía, which finish at the Atlantic coast in North Western Galicia, in case, whenyou arrive in Santiago, you just haven't had enough!

I started writing this guide after I can back from walking the Vía de la Platafrom Seville to Santiago via Astorga in the winter of 2009, and finished it afterreturning to walk the Camino Sanabrés in 2012. It has been updated andrepublished every year since then. Preparing for my walk I had been unable to findany reliable information in English about the routes and accommodation alongthem. This didn't deter me and I managed fine with a print out of accommodationfrom a Spanish website and some Google maps of the towns with the route roughlysketched on them. However, if I hadn't been able to access information in Spanish Iwould have been lost, and I probably wouldn't have even attempted this walk.Based on this experience I decided to try to make information more widelyavailable in English.

I started by making the guide available as a free download from my website,www.CaminoGuide.net. Thanks to the positive feedback and encouragement Ireceived from other pilgrims who used it I decided to try publishing it on Amazon(with the addition of maps). This has enabled me to bring the information to a far

wider audience.From the beginning I appealed to pilgrims to send me updates and corrections to

help me keep the information up-to-date. Many people responded to my call, andthis, together with the wealth of information available online, allowed me to keeptrack of new hostels and route changes. This system isn't perfect and I would prefer(in fact I would love!) if I had the time and money to walk the Vía every year anddo the updates as I go along. But I don't, and given the small number of English-speaking pilgrims walking this Camino, it's unlikely this or any other guide willever make enough money to cover a full, yearly update (such as the German guidesmanage).

I set out to create a source of the essential information someone will need towalk the Vía de la Plata, and this book is still that, the essential information:distances, pilgrim hostels, places to buy food, places to eat, and notes about thoseplaces where the yellow arrows may not be sufficient for you to find your way.

The Vía is very different from the Camino Francés in that it is longer, lonelierand less scenic. It is closer to the original experience of long-distance pilgrimagethan the commercialised and 'tamed' Camino Francés. You can walk the CaminoFrancés on 'autopilot', by which I mean, without planning ahead or really payingmuch attention, and I don't mean that in a negative way, one of the great thingsabout the Camino Francés is that it's accessible to people of all levels of ability andcommitment. But, if you approached the Vía on 'autopilot' you'd quickly findyourself lost, hungry and thirsty. As a consequence, the people who walk the Víatend to be a self-reliant bunch with experience of long-distance hiking (such as,having walked the Camino Francés).

If you find this guide useful and you want to help (or if you don't find it usefuland you still want to help) then send all suggestions, updates, corrections, etc. tome at [email protected]

The Vía in 2019It was a cold, sunny winter's day just before Christmas 2018 when I set off fromSeville. My journey this time would be in four parts covering winter, spring, earlysummer and autumn. It would be almost ten months before I arrived on a cold,sunny autumn's day into Santiago de Compostela.

The road had changed little in the three years since I had walked it last. Thehalf-abandoned villages with their ubiquitous for sale signs sported an occasionalnew bars or albergue, sometimes even a shop. But besides these small changeseverything seemed more-or-less as always. It was like in this remote corner ofSpain time was standing still.

What had changed, and changed fundamentally, was the experience of walkingthe Vía.

Almost completely consigned to history was the feeling of being the onlypilgrim in town. Long, dark nights alone in an albergue with only a host ofunexplained noises for company were a thing of the past. And the idea of walkingfor days or even weeks without seeing another pilgrim now seemed to belong to aquaint, bygone era.

Sometimes I missed the old days and the feeling of being a pioneer, but mostly Ididn't. Being the only pilgrim in town, eating dinner on your own with thetelevision for company, was never really much fun. And the feeling was never faraway during the long walking days through the vast open spaces and distanthorizons of rural Spain, then everything seemed to melt away as it always had and I

often found myself alone for hours with nothing but my thoughts and the wind andan occasional dog (friendly or otherwise).

Galicia was cold and it rained (as it always, always does). I was glad I would befinishing soon. I was passing through these mountains for the third time and for thethird time I saw nothing but fog and rain. I decided it was enough and if I ever walkthe Camino Sanabrés again it will be in summer.

On the last day I passed the scene of the Angrois train crash. No sign of whathappened here remains except for the strange mixture of objects left by relatives ofthe dead and passing pilgrims. A man sat in a car nearby with no apparent purpose.I felt like he was watching me, maybe to see what I'd do. I took a photo of theseobjects, shells, boots, articles of clothing. I wondered if it was the right place forwhat looked like a shrine to the Camino. I kept walking being careful not to look inthe direction of the man in his car. I didn't want to intrude. I already feltuncomfortably like a spectator to some personal tragedy.

It was a sad end to a long Camino and made for a melancholic arrival intoSantiago. I went straight to my albergue, the Praza Obradoiro could wait and I hadnever intended going for a Compostela.

The 2020 editionThe 2020 edition was updated with information gathered while walking the Vía in2019 together with feedback and advice from many pilgrims.

I'd like to thank everybody who took the time to write to me. I'm always veryhappy to hear from my readers and as always I was amazed at the trouble somepeople took to help me and their fellow pilgrims. As always I can be contacted [email protected]

I'm always happy to answer questions and to help people in any way I can so ifthere's something specific I can help you with please just ask. I can also supplyPDF copies of this guide, which are handy for reading on a smartphone or a tabletcomputer.

We now have an active group on Facebook with Vía pilgrims of all levels ofexperience. Join to ask questions or to share your knowledge and experience withyour fellow pilgrims. You can link to it here viadelaplataguide.net/pages/facebook

Thanks for all the help and support and Buen Camino!Gerald Kelly, Seville, November 2019

GPS TracksIf you'd like a copy of the GPS trace I created while I was walking you candownload it by going to www.viadelaplataguide.net and requesting the free guide.The link to the GPS traces will be in the same email as the link for the free guide.It's a free app and it allows you to download the maps you need over WiFi and thenuse them offline.

How to use this guideInformation is presented in the following text formats:Information about the route and things you will meet between hostels aregiven in this format. Distances given in this format should be ignoredwhen calculating distances between hostels.

The following information is given about hostels: whether it is private, religious,etc. (how many people it sleeps, the cost and opening dates, if none are giventhen it's open all the time) the hostel's name. This is followed by a description ofhow to find the hostel and any other relevant information. Example:Parish hostel (14, 10€) Albergue Parroquial de Monesterio on the Camino on theleft, at 218 Avenida Extremadura. Kitchen. Nice hostel, modern and clean with goodfacilities. Tel 924 516 097This hostel is run by the local parish, it sleeps fourteen people, costs 10€ and isopen all year.Information about places and facilities: The following information is givenabout facilities available in towns and villages (see the note below about openinghours):

- café / bar if they're known to serve food it will say so- shop- bank meaning an ATM- pharmacy

Please remember the followingIf the guide doesn't say that there's a shop / restaurant / café / water source /bank / pharmacy (etc., etc.), then assume there isn't and plan accordingly!

Likewise, always assume there is no place to buy food or drinks betweenvillages and that some villages have no facilities of any type. Even if there areshops and cafés never assume they'll be open.

The text of this guide is not sprinkled with reminders to always make sureyou have enough food and water. It is up to you to plan your walking day theday before and indeed several days in advance, taking account of availabilityof places where you can restock.

Opening timesBear in mind that shops in rural Spain usually open from 9 AM until 12 PMand again from 5 PM until 8 PM and that these times vary. They are alsousually closed, or have greatly reduced opening times, on Sundays andMondays and on public and religious holidays.

Cafés don't always open in the morning and if they do it's rarely before 8AM. The note about public and religious holidays above also applies to cafés.If it says in the guide that a café opens early that mean about 8 PM. Also cafésoften close one day a week por descanso, it's often Monday. Restaurantsserver lunch from about 2 PM until about 4 PM and then dinner from about 8PM until about 9 PM.

Pilgrim hostels (Albergues)Some of the hostels on this Camino are basic. However, unless otherwise stated, allof them have the following:

- Electricity- Beds with mattresses- Toilets- Showers with hot water

- Drinking water- Heating (although it may not be very effective and it may not be switched on)

Any other facilities are mentioned in the guide. If the guide says 'Laundry facilities'it means there's a washing machine and drier. If this isn't mentioned then thelaundry facilities available are probably a sink where you can hand wash clothes.

Many hostels are not adequately heated and during the cold months (a periodwhich varies according to latitude and altitude but means approximately Novemberto March) it will be cold in those hostels. This underlines the necessity of having agood sleeping-bag. Not all hostels have a kitchen. Where the hostel has one and itis in working order, it's mentioned.

If you're first to arrive many hostels will be locked with a contact telephonenumber stuck to the door. For this reason having a mobile phone is essential. If youneed to ring for the key and you don't speak Spanish try the following: Estoy aquí ala puerta del albergue de peregrinos, ¿puede Usted abrirme la puerta? – whichmeans I am here at the door of the pilgrim hostel, can you open the door for me?The ideal response would be sí, sí, cinco minutos / diez minutos – yes, yes fiveminutes / ten minutes. However, the likelihood is the reply will be somewhat moreverbose in which case the best thing to say is no entiendo español – I don'tunderstand Spanish. And hope for the best. Don't let this worry you if you speak noSpanish, the person answering the phone is expecting calls like yours and even ifyou completely fail to understand anything they will automatically assume you arewaiting for them at the albergue door.

WaymarkingsWaymarkings are basic but functional. Everywhere you will find painted yellowarrows like on the Camino Francés. However, it's important to note that the arrowsare sometimes far less frequent than on the Camino Francés and are sometimesonly to be seen at points where there's a change of direction. So basically, if youdon't see any arrow keep going straight, but keep your eyes peeled.

The Vía de la Plata is different from the Camino Francés in that it was originallya Roman Road and the present day Vía follows the route of this road for part of itslength. The official waymarkings reflect this history. In Extremadura, as well as theyellow arrow, the Vía and the Roman Road are marked by blocks on the groundwith a coloured tile on one side and a representation of the arch in Cáparra on thetop pointing in the direction which you must follow. The tiles are coloured yellow(for the Camino) or green (for the Roman road) or bi-coloured where the Víafollows the Roman road.

In parts of Castilla y León you'll see stone pillars with the name of the Víawritten in Spanish and Arabic - a reflection of the fact that this route was used byArabic speaking (known as Mozarabic) Christians from Andalusia.

In Galicia you'll find the ubiquitous concrete bollards with the shell symbol on atile pointing, with its flat end, the direction to follow.

In some places along the route the original Roman waymarkings are stillpresent. Known as Miliarium these are stone columns about one metre high whichoriginally had writing on them giving such information as: the emperor underwhose reign the road was built, the distance to Rome or another important city onthe road. These stones were placed one Roman mile (1,481m) apart.

See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milestone and es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miliario

In certain places you may find that several different kinds of waymarking co-exist and occasionally they may point in contradictory directions. If in doubt, as ageneral rule you should follow the yellow arrows. This is not to say that theother waymarkings are wrong, just that the yellow arrows are painted by peoplewho have walked the Vía recently and are most likely to indicate the best walkingroute. The yellow arrows are also the waymarkings which are most likely to be up-to-date in the event of minor route changes.

MapsThe route of the Vía is shown as a line of black dots. When there is more than one route option both routes are shown. Route options are also described in the text.

Maps also include elevation profiles which (with a few exceptions) are includedas part of the map. Altitude is shown in metres with the distance shown inkilometres along the bottom of the graph. The kilometre count resets to zero ateach place which has a pilgrim hostel.

The symbols used on maps are:

The number of albergue beds

Albergue / pilgrim accommodation

Café

Shop / supermarket

Cash machine / ATM

Pharmacy

Vía route

Motorway

Main road

Minor road

How to calculate distancesThe distances given next to placenames are stage distances. They are given inkilometres, rounded up or down to the nearest kilometre, and walking time,calculated on the assumption they you'll average 4km per hour. Measurements areusually taken from the pilgrim hostel, or if the pilgrim hostel is not on the route ofthe Vía or there is more than one, it's taken from some central point, such as themain square or the church / cathedral. Use these distances when calculating thelength of stages. Other distances given in the route description are distancesbetween points which are not pilgrim hostels. You could call them intermediatedistances. These should be ignored when calculating stage distances. They are notcumulative. Example:

2km / ½ hr this point is 2km from the last pilgrim hostel4km / 1 hr this point is 6km from the last pilgrim hostel

Measurement unitsAll distances are given in the metric system (kilometres and metres). Prices aregiven in the format most commonly used in Spain, ie. 5€, 2,50€, etc.

DogsThe Vía is about 1,000km long and most of that is through farmland. Dogs in thisarea are used to help guard and control flocks of sheep and so are often to be seenunsupervised in a field with a flock of sheep. Despite this incidents with dogs arerare and serious incidents, ones in which someone has been bitten requiringmedical treatment, are to my knowledge unheard of.

During all the times I've walked the Vía (three times in its totality and manyother stages) I have at no time come close to being bitten by a dog. There havebeen occasions when I've had to stand my ground when a dog ran over barkingwhen it saw me but none of these turned out to be dangerous, just annoying. I'vebeen around dogs all my life and I like dogs, but I know that that isn't the case foreverybody. What might be annoying for me might be frightening for someone else.

If you do meet an aggressive dog, your safest option is to back away (withoutturning your back) and get out of its territory. Running is not a good idea because adog can move much faster than you can and many breeds of dogs will instinctivelytake chase if you run.

Raising a stick at it will probably be enough to convince it it's dealing withsomeone who'll fight back (working, country dogs associate a stick with pain,unlike their townie cousins). If you haven't got a stick to hand, bend down and pickup a few stones, they understand that too. However, hitting a dog is an absolute lastresort, only to be used if it attacks first. Pre-emptive action may just provoke it.

If you encounter dogs looking after sheep or goats, bear in mind that they'revery protective and if you come too close or between them and their flock theywill regard you as a threat. So stay as far away as possible.

It's also probable the dog's owner is someplace nearby, and attracting theirattention is probably the easiest way to deal with the offending mutt.

Walking in summerThe extreme summer heat in southern Spain makes June, July, August andSeptember the most difficult and dangerous time to walk the souther sections ofthis Camino (south of Salamanca). In recent years several people have died on theVia while walking or cycling in hot weather. You should not attempt thesouthern sections of the Vía in summer unless you are used to and comfortablewalking in 40C and higher.

North of Salamanca is a different matter. The climatic conditions which prevailhere are largely similar to what you would encounter on the Camino Francés.

Online resourcesFor more information about the Vía, including how to get to various starting points,download GPS tracks and the latest updates go to: www.viadelaplataguide.net

For tips about packing and links to useful equipment go to:www.caminoguide.net/packing

You can also browse the content of the guide online and see moreaccommodation options and avail of easy links to reservations websitebooking.com from viadelaplataguide.net/guide

Distances from Santiago

Outeiro = 16km, Ponte Ulla = 21km, Leiras = 29km, Bandeira = 34km, Silleda = 41km, A Laxe = 50km, Castro Dozón = 69km, Cea = 84km, Ourense = 106km, Xunqueira = 129km, Vilar do Barrio = 142km, Alberguería = 150km, Laza = 162km, Campobecerros = 176km, A Gudiña = 196km, Lubián = 220km, Requejo = 236km, Puebla de Sanabria = 248km, Asturianos = 262km, San Salvador = 269km,Mombuey = 279km, Rionegro del Puente = 288km, Olleros de Tera = 302km,Calzadilla de Tera = 304km, Santa Marta = 315km, Santa Croya = 316km, Tábara = 338km, Faramontanos = 346km, Granja de Moreruela = 364km, Riego del Camino = 370km, Montamarta = 386km, Zamora = 405km, Villanueva de Campeán = 423km, El Cubo de Tierra del Vino = 437km, Calzada de Valdunciel = 457km, Salamanca = 474km, Morille = 493km, San Pedro = 497km, Fuenteroble = 525km, Valdecasa = 533km, Valverde =537km, Calzada de Béjar = 546km, Baños de Montemayor = 558km, Aldeanueva del Camino = 568km, Cáparra = 589km, Carcaboso = 607km, Galisteo = 618km, Cañaveral = 645km, Casar de Cáceres = 678km, Cáceres = 689km, Valdesalor = 701km, Aldea del Cano = 712km, Alcuéscar = 727km, Aljucén = 747km, El Carrascalejo = 749km, Mérida = 763km,Torremejía = 778km, Villafranca de los Barros = 806km, Zafra = 826km, Fuente de Cantos = 850km, Monesterio = 871km, El Real de la Jara = 891km,Almadén = 905km, Castilblanco = 934km, Guillena = 951km, Seville = 974km

NOTE This distance and altitude information is based on a GPS trace followingthe right option after Ourense, the left option after Cea, the left option afterFuenteroble, and the Camas option when leaving Seville, and walking as closely aspossible to the original route where there are detours caused by AVE works.

If you start in Seville and you get a distance certificate from the Pilgrims Office inSantiago it will say that you have walked a little over 1,000km. When I measured itI got 974km. If you'd like to check for yourself just email me [email protected] and I'll send you copies of all the files.

CopyrightCopyright © Gerald Kelly 2019. Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited. While every effort has been made to check the accuracy of the information in this guide the author cannot be held responsible for any errors, omissions or recent changes. All maps in this guide are based on OpenStreetMaps and are made available under the Open Database Licence. © OpenStreetMaps contributors. www.openstreetmap.org/copyright This book was produced on open source technology: Ubuntu Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP, LibreOffice, TileMill, OpenStreetMaps, GNU Image Processing (Gimp). My thanks to everybody who contributed to those projects.

Total ascents and descents per stagesThese numbers take account of all ascents and descents on a particular segment,this is not just the difference between the start and end altitude. In metres.

Total ascent = 16,980m, total descent = 16,710m.

Ascends Descends

Seville cathedral to Guillena via Camas 235 -230

Guillena to Castilblanco 468 -149

Castilblanco to Almadén 613 -489

Almadén to El Real 359 -342

El Real to Monesterio 558 -276

Monesterio to Fuente de Cantos 326 -496

Fuente de Cantos to Zafra 271 -347

Zafra to Villafranca 269 -366

Villafranca to Torremejía 142 -255

Torremejía to Mérida 94 -186

Mérida to El Carrascalejo 214 -133

El Carrascalejo to Aljucén 39 -60

Aljucén to Alcuéscar 303 -119

Alcuéscar to Casas de Don Antonio 21 -81

Casas de Don Antonio to Aldea del Cano 45 -43

Aldea del Cano to Valdesalor 96 -100

Valdesalor to Cáceres 168 -109

Cáceres to Casar de Cáceres 106 -184

Casar de Cáceres to Cañaveral 502 -512

Cañaveral to Galisteo 457 -530

Galisteo to Carcaboso 104 -117

Carcaboso to Cáparra 334 -208

Cáparra to turnoff for Hostal Asturias 109 -120

turnoff for Hostal Asturias to Aldeanueva 234 -92

Aldeanueva to Baños 233 -47

Baños to Calzada 406 -329

Calzada to Valverde 72 -64

Valverde to Valdecasa 152 -2

Valdecasa to Fuenteroble 96 -94

Fuenteroble to San Pedro 452 -429

San Pedro to Morille 18 -61

Morille to Salamanca 234 -373

Salamanca to Calzada de Valdulciel 202 -199

Calzada de Valdunciel to El Cubo 249 -209

El Cubo to Villanueva 128 -208

Villanueva to Zamora 125 -248

Zamora to Montamarta 230 -174

Montamarta to Riego 185 -171

Riego to Granja 58 -53

Granja to Faramontanos 265 -262

Faramontanos to Tábara 77 -24

Tábara to Bercianos 175 -172

Bercianos to Santa Croya 76 -89

Santa Croya to Santa Marta 14 -4

Santa Marta to Calzadilla 81 -63

Calzadilla to Olleros 11 -17

Olleros to Villar 120 -64

Villar to Rionegro 76 -81

Rionegro to Mombuey 131 -30

Mombuey to Cernadilla 101 -88

Cernadilla to San Salvador 26 -16

San Salvador to Asturianos 137 -84

Asturianos to Puebla 199 -261

Puebla to Requejo 213 -118

Requejo to Padornelo 452 -150

Padornelo to Lubián 146 -419

Lubián to A Gudiña 740 -791

A Gudiña to Campobecerros 509 -596

Campobecerros to Laza 366 -788

Laza to Alberguería 563 -140

Alberguería to Vilar do Barrio 126 -358

Vilar do Barrio to Xunqueira 241 -357

Xunqueira to Ourense 317 -687

Ourense to Cea 682 -326

Cea to Castro Dozón 564 -341

Castro Dozón to A Laxe 351 -634

A Laxe to Silleda 296 -283

Silleda to Bandeira 79 -213

Bandeira to Leiras 71 -151

Leiras to Ponte Ulla 153 -364

Ponte Ulla to Outeiro 249 -29

Outeiro to Santiago 433 -467

Sevilla / Seville (map page 88)The city of Seville has a population of 703,000. It is the capital of the autonomouscommunity of Andalusia and the Province of Seville. All facilities you couldpossibly need are available.SLEEPING: All facilities except a dedicated pilgrim hostel! However, there are lotsof cheapish backpacker hostels and hotels. Some good options are TrianaBackpackers at Calle Rodrigo de Triana, in Triana, across the river from the citycentre. This well-run and friendly hostel has dorm beds from about 13€ and ispopular with pilgrims and backpackers (so possibly noisy). If you're cycling you cancontact them about having your bike delivered there a few days before you arrive.They can also arrange bike hire. More information and booking on 954 459 960 orfrom their Website english.trianabackpackers.com. Hotel Simón, at Calle Garcia deVinuesa 19, about 120m from the cathedral, has been recommended by severalpilgrims, it has singles from 40€, telephone 954 226 660, websitewww.hotelsimonsevilla.com. These and other accommodation can be booked fromwww.hostelworld.com or from www.booking.com.PRACTICAL: Credenciales (pilgrim passports) are available from the followingplaces: the very helpful and friendly Amigos del Camino de Santiago en Sevilla, at:Calle Castilla 82, which is on the Camino as it passes through Triana. Opening hoursvary, please check their website www.viaplata.org under Atención al Peregrino. TheCathedral Parochial Office, ask one of the cathedral employees where to go for aCredencial de Peregrino. Also from Hotel Simón and Triana Backpackers (detailsabove). In recent years the Credenciales available in Seville have a map of theCamino Francés on the back, don't worry, they're accepted along the Camino. Also,if you're going all the way you'll probably need more than one for all those stamps.Credenciales are available on the Camino from larger municipal and religious hostelsin major towns and cities, but if you think you'll need two you could just buy them inSeville. If you need to do some last-minute equipment shopping there's a Decathlon outdoor shop in the city centre near Las Setas on Calle Martín Villa. SIM cards, fromHotel Simón walk 20m towards the cathedral, on your left is Photo & Phone, whichsells them. Labara has good plans for international calls and data: www.lebara.esEATING: Seville has a big tapas culture and many bars around both Triana and thecity centre have good selections. Recommended for tapas is Bodega Dos de Mayoon Plaza de la Gavidia, it's very popular so best to arrive early (ie. 8 PM). If yourpreparations for the Camino includes eating like a horse and you like fried seafood,then you should try the Plato Variado in Abaceria Alborea on Calle Jacinto, inTriana. The kiosk on the city side of Triana bridge does good churros y chocolate.SIGHTS: Seville is a historic city whose architectural heritage reflects the culturalinfluences of Roman, Islamic and Christian civilisation. The Tourist Office oppositethe main entrance to the Cathedral has tourist maps and information about thevarious sights. The highlights are the Catedral de Santa María de la Sede.Completed in the 16th century it is said to be the largest cathedral in the world. It ismostly Gothic with a mix of other influences. Its bell tower, La Giralda, wasoriginally the minaret of a mosque. Christopher Columbus' remains are buried herehere having been brought from Cuba in 1903. The Alcázar Palace and Gardenswere build as a home for the rulers of Muslim Al-Andalus. The palace is consideredto be the best example of Mudéjar architecture in existence. Its walled gardens, withtheir extensive use of flowing water, are a beautiful example of the type of gardendesign introduced to Spain by the Moors. Both these sights are extremely popular

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with tourists and queues to enter can be very long. You can avoid the queues bybooking online at www.lacatedraldesevilla.org and www.alcazarsevilla.org ThePlaza de España, completed in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exhibition, is agraceful example of early 20th century Renaissance (arches) and Mudéjar(brickwork) revival architecture. It and its adjoining park, are a nice place to relax ona sunny afternoon. Besides the major historic buildings, Seville is also a great cityfor walking around, soaking in the architecture and atmosphere of its narrow streets,and getting hopelessly lost. Just walk east or north from the cathedral. If you likeurban decay you may enjoy a visit to the site of Expo 92, much of it unchanged andslowly falling to pieces from when it was abandoned when the Expo ended. Itincludes a life-size model of an Apollo rocket. It's in the area around La IslaMágica, across the river from the city centre, north of Triana. The river itself, theGuadalquivir ("big river" in Arabic), may look impressive but it's actually an isolatedbranch of the main river which you will cross on the Camino before Camas. Trianais on the opposite side of the river from the city centre, it's a colourful neighbourhood which hasn't yet lost its soul to mass tourism.CULTURE: If you'd like to experience some Sevillanas singing and dancing CasaAnselmo on Calle Pagés del Corro, in Triana kicks off about midnight, far moreauthentic than the tourist shows in the city centre. Free in but drinks are pricey.The Camino begins outside the main door of the cathedral, turn right tofollow the tram tracks along Avenida de la Constitución, then, at the cornerof the cathedral turn left on to Calle García de Vinuesa, then first right onto Calle Jimios. This becomes Calle Zaragoza, which you follow throughvarious twists and turns until it intersects with Puerta de Triana, with Caféde Indias on your left. Now turn left and continue straight to cross TrianaBridge (AKA Puente de Isabel II). Once across the river turn right after theMercado de Triana along Calle San Jorge and Calle de Castilla (wherethere's a Día supermarket which opens at 9.30 AM). After about 600myou'll come to a modern square with steps leading up on the right whichbring you to a main road. Walk anticlockwise around the roundabout,crossing two roads then turning right on to a footpath and left down to alarge, run-down carpark where you veer right and then left to cross thenarrow bridge across the main branch of the Guadalquivir. This route ismarked with yellow arrows but they're easy to miss in the city.Once outside the city they become easier to spot.3km / ¾ hr, just after crossing the narrow bridge over the main branch ofthe Guardalquivir, you have the option to continue straight to passthrough the suburb of Camas, or to go right along the bank of the river(muddy after wet weather), to bypass Camas. Don't let the grimness of thisfirst part get you down, things improve once you're out of the city.

  RIGHT / RIVER ROUTE 5km / 1¼ hr...   Walk along the banks of the river for about 1km / ¼ hr then follow a lane asit veers left. In about 1km / ¼ hr you'll pass under an elevated motorwaythen continue straight under railway tracks and another motorway, thenright to join a main road which you follow to the left to a roundabout whereyou rejoin the left route and turn right towards Santiponce. This routepasses through some run down, deserted areas and not everyone will feelcomfortable walking it on their own. You may encounter cute donkeys andunfortunately also loose dogs.6km / 1½ hrs to Santiponce, from the point where the routes divide.

  LEFT ROUTE 5km / 1¼ hr...  

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2km / ½ hr to Camas from where the routes divide, shops, cafés, bank,pharmacy. In Camas turn right on to Calle José Payán and follow this untilyou come to the Church of Santa Maria de Gracia where you take the streetto its left, also called Santa Maria de Gracia. From here the Caminocontinues straight along the side of a busy main road through suburbs andindustrial areas, through two roundabouts until after 4km / 1 hr you cometo Santiponce.

  RIGHT AND LEFT ROUTES REJOIN BEFORE...   Santiponce, shops, cafés, bank, pharmacy.Bodeguita Reyes, right on the roundabout, does good food. Hotel AnfiteatroRomano, on the right a little past the town, has been recommended by manypilgrims, it has double rooms from about €50. Tel 955 996 704The newly restored Monesterio de San Isidoro in Santiponce can be visited (freefor pilgrims). They have a sello (stamp). It's on the Camino on the right. The TeatroRomano is a couple of minutes off the Camino, at the roundabout take Calle laIglesia, then right on to Calle Claven, then left at the end. The ruins of the Romancity of Itálica are just to the left of the Camino to the north of Santiponce. This is thebirthplace of the Emperors Trajan whose rule brought the Roman Empire to itsgreatest geographic extent, and also of Hadrian, best known for the construction ofthe wall which marked the northern limits of Roman control in Britain. Open daily 9AM to 3 PM.13km / 3¼ hrs to Guillena from Santiponce.Continue north on the main road through Santiponce, right at a roundaboutand under the motorway and then veer left where the Camino leaves theroad and continues on a lane through fields. There's a stream you need toford which may be difficult after rain. If the water is too deep to cross lookup and downstream for easier crossing places or flag down a passingtractor or Jeep and ask them to drop you on the other side.Occasionally after prolonged heavy rain this stream can be badlyflooded and impossible to cross. Happily there is an alternativeroute which branches left about 500m before the stream(sometimes there is a temporary signpost here but since it's theonly possible left turn on a long straight road it would be hard tomiss). Follow this road left passing a farmhouse on your right thenpass under the motorway, veer left and right to join a main roadafter 2km / ½ hr. Here you turn right and follow the road all theway to Guillena. This detour adds about 3km to the day's walk.Before Guillena the yellow arrows direct you to turn sharp left towards themain road, bringing you past the private hostel, Albergue Luz del Camino.It is possible to go right at this point but it will mean fording anotherstream which can be difficult. The description of the route through Guillenais based on the assumption that you turned left.The latest updates are available on our website www.viadelaplataguide.net/pages/updates

23km / 5¾ hrs to GuillenaPrivate hostel (12, 12€ with breakfast) Albergue Luz del Camino on Calle FedericoGarcía Lorca, on the Camino on the left. Kitchen, laundry facilities. Positive reports.Website albergueluzdelcamino.es Tel 955 785 262 Open 2 PMMunicipal hostel (34, 10€) Albergue Municipal, in the Sports Centre / Polideportivoon Avenida de la Vega, on Camino past the church, signposted, watch out for a largegate in a high wall on the right through which you will see a mini-soccer pitch, enterhere and it's past the café on the left. Kitchen, laundry facilities. Ask in the café or

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phone 672 373 099 or the phone number posted on the door.Website www.guillena.org Open 12 noonShops, banks, cafés on or near Avenida de Andalucía, the mainroad through town and the road the Camino arrives on. At theend of this road is a roundabout, where you turn right for a Massupermarket which is open all day, and a café / bakery whichopens about 7.30 AM, and a pharmacy. Banks on Plaza Españaand Calle Fleming. Hostal Francés has single rooms, en suitewith air conditioning from 20€ and does good food. Tel 639 594496 Website www.hostalbarfrances.com. Leaving town continue past the municipal hostel onAvenida de la Vega and then first right down a road to aford which you cross (if the water's too high there's abridge to your left) and then up the slope to the rightthen veering left, then 1km / ¼ hr to a roundaboutwhere you veer left through an industrial area andeventually into open country.

18km / 4½ hrs to Castilblanco de los ArroyosJust before Castilblanco the Camino goes left at aroundabout and follows Avenida España through town.Continue straight at this roundabout for the municipalhostel.Municipal hostel (30, donativo, March to October) Continuestraight where the Camino branches left, it's just past the Repsolpetrol station on the right. It may be staffed during busy times byvolunteer hospitaleros from various countries, otherwise ask forthe code to open the door at Repsol. Basic kitchen. Loads of spacewith a big balcony.Tel 955 734 811 Websitewww.alberguecastilblancodelosarroyos. blogspot.com.es Open 12noonOn or near the Camino as it passes through town there areshops, a bakery, bank and pharmacy (both opposite the entranceto the church), post office, and cafés. Follow the Camino left ata mini-roundabout to El Rincón de Beni on Calle Pilar Nuevowhich does good food with vegetarian options on request. Díasupermarket with a good selection on Avenida del Puentewhich goes right off the Camino at the same mini-roundabout.

Café Mancilla, on the main road, opens early (4 AM). The palatial Hotel Castillo Blanco, on the right just before the town, singles from30€, website hotelcastilloblanco.com Alternative accommodation: guest house CasaSalvadora, on the Camino at Avenida de España, 43, phone: 615 500 962, cosysingles from 14€.You can either follow the Camino or the main road through Castilblanco.The Camino then continues north along the main road towards Almadén.This road isn't usually busy.Continue on the road (SE-5405) for 16km / 4 hrs until you come to a placeknown as Finca el Berrocal where you will see arrows pointing through agate on the right into the Parque Natural Sierra Norte. From here it's

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unpaved paths to Almadén. If the main gate is closed there's anotherpedestrian gate to the right which may be open (it is not visible from theroad). Keep some high-energy food or drink in reserve for the last couple ofkilometres where there's a steep hill which ascends abruptly about 100m.Alternatively you can follow the road all the way to Almadén, it's slightlylonger but an easier climb.

29km / 7¼ hrs to Almadén de la PlataPrivate hostel (6, 10€) La Casa del Raloj on the Camino going through the village onPlaza del Reloj. Laundry Facilities, kitchen. Wood burning stove. Breakfast 2€. Tel692 552 659 Website www.eulate.net/ruraltellezPrivate hostel (8, 12€) Albergue Casa Clara on Plaza de la Constitución, beside thechurch. Kitchen, laundry facilities. Café / restaurant. Tel 665 617 723 or 625 345 713 Municipal hostel (16, 10€) Follow the Camino through the village until you see theAlbergue Municipal signs. It's on Calle Puerto de la Cruz, a few minutes walk from theCamino. Phone number or instructions on the door. The hospitalera comes around laterto stamp Credenciales. Kitchen. Website www.almadendelaplata.esFollow the Camino past the distinctive old town hall with its purple tower, throughPlaza del Reloj, then veering left to Plaza de la Palmera. Here standing with yourback to the pharmacy, the supermarket is up the street on your right and the bank isup the street on your left. Café El Raloj, the café of Albergue Casa Clara and CaféLa Morena open early. Restaurant La Murilla, beside the church, does a goodpilgrim menu. Food in Bar La Chorla has been recommended. Hostal Concha hasrooms for 20€. Tel 954 735 043 or 659 459 938. Hostal El Romeral, opposite thebank, has rooms from €30. Tel 653 092 163.The Camino is abundantly (if not always clearly) signposted through thevillage with signs and yellow arrows. If in doubt when leaving town aim forthe bull ring on the hill to the north, the Camino passes it to the left.

14km / 3½ hrs to El Real de la JaraMunicipal hostel (32, 8€) El Realejo, the first building you come to on the left whenyou arrive in the village. Check for instructions on the door which usually direct you tothe Tourist Information Office to get the key. Kitchen with microwaves, fireplace. Tel655 898 252 Open 11 AMPrivate hostel (12, 10€) Alojamiento del Peregrino a little past the municipal hostel onthe right. Kitchen, laundry facilities, nice roof terrace. Good reports. Tel 654 862 553Private hostel (12, 10€) Alojamiento Molina on the Camino past Plaza España at 70Calle Real. They also have private rooms. Tel 610 026 132 or 628 745 720Shop, cafés, bank and a bakery on the Camino as it passes through Plaza España andCalle Real. Avenida 28 de Febrero, which is left of the Camino from Plaza España,has more shops, cafés, a bank and the post office.Mason Restaurante La Encina has private rooms for 20€ and reportedly goodfood. It's past the municipal hostel and at the bottom of the street turn left and followthe signs through an industrial park. Tel 625 998 300 or 693 866 646.Mesón La Cochera, opposite the church, does good food. The café in Casa de laCultura on Avenida 28 de Febrero has also been recommended. Café El Chati onPlaza de España open early.El Real's impressive castle is one of a series in the Banda Gallega defensive linewhich protected the northern limits of Al-Andaluz. Later it was used to defendagainst the Portuguese who had designs on this region. Today it is used as an outdoortheatre.

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